If My Heart Was A House
by alien09
Summary: And Puck? Finn may be the Dad, but you’re going to be her Father. Puck, Quinn, Rachel and Finn deal with the baby. One-shot for Ladybug Jess. Puckleberry.


There were rows of them, all arranged neatly in lines of five. Some of them squirmed; others bawled their little hearts out. But right there, smack dab in the middle, was his daughter.

The sight of her small face, pressed against the pink blanket they had bundled her up in, made his heart swell with pride. He had created this tiny person. Half his DNA was literally in there. It was a thought that he still hadn't managed to quite wrap his head around.

'Noah?' Rachel's voice brought him out of his trance. She was standing by his side, head titled back and brown eyes wide, lip red from the constant abuse her teeth had subjected it too.

'Hey Rach,' he said. He didn't object when her hand twined with his, instead pressing it closer to his own. She hugged his arm to her chest and for once Puck wasn't aware of the curves pressing into him.

'I have a baby girl,' he whispered in awe. Rachel didn't say anything, simply leaning her head against his shoulder.

It had been a long, tiring seven months.

When Puck had first found out that Quinn was pregnant, he had felt shocked. But then an immense need to shoulder this responsibility had driven him to offer her anything she needed. He wasn't going to be like his father. He was going to make sure that baby growing in her belly had everything it wanted, had a father who stuck around even when times were tough. It hadn't even crossed Puck's mind that Quinn wouldn't want him to be a part of his baby's life.

_I felt fat that day _and _You're nothing but a Lima Loser_ was what she had used. It was the lamest excuse Puck had ever heard but one look at her teary face and he had swallowed his pride, going along when she said that she didn't want anyone else to know about them.

Quinn had always been what Puck thought a girl should be. She was blonde, beautiful and filled out a Cheerios outfit like no other. But it was the imperfections that had made Puck gravitate towards her. In his mind, there was no way the President of the Celibacy Club could be that untainted. He'd been right. He liked how she licked ice-cream cones, not caring that the dessert would smear all over her face. She liked driving fast, pedal to the medal stuff that made half the guys on the football team cringe whenever she offered them a ride. He liked how she wasn't afraid to be a bitch to get what she wanted.

But she had been his best friend's girl.

Puck had known the very day that Finn found out. Honestly he had been expecting this sort of realization sooner. Apparently while in the course of brushing up on his newfound fatherhood, Finn had stumbled across a website about premature ejaculation and had an epiphany.

It had been during Glee, Puck remembered, right before Sectionals. Quinn wasn't at rehearsal. They were all lined up, watching as Mr Schue did some impossible heel-kick-toe-backheel that made Puck wonder why he had joined this thing in the first place. Finn had burst in, doors banging open like a thunderclap.

'_How could you_?' Was all Finn had said before decking him. Puck had remained on the floor, watching the red creep up the quarterback's face. 'You're supposed to be my _best friend_!'

There was really nothing to say to that. Puck had expected the rest of the club to side with Finn. After all, the lines had been drawn and this was war. But like everything else these people did, they had surprised him.

Rachel had gotten him to his feet and gently led him away while Puck saw Mr Schue try to calm his former best friend down.

'I'm sorry if this hurts,' Rachel had said, dabbing at his face with a cold cloth. It came away slightly red.

'Thought you'd take Finn's side,' he had muttered under his breath, wincing as she broke a cold compress and pressed it to his cheek. Rachel had let out a sigh, giving him this look that he couldn't quite decipher.

'I suspected that the child wasn't his, after he told me how Quinn got pregnant.'

'And you didn't say anything?'

'I assumed that Quinn had a reason for-'

'Quinn can go to hell,' Puck said, trying to be venomous but failing. Rachel laid a hand on his shoulder, looking at him with half-lidded eyes.

'Quinn doesn't need the father of her baby and her boyfriend attempting homicide while she's pregnant. Stress is extremely ill advised for an expecting mother.'

'You do realize how fucked up that sounds right?' Puck had told her.

'I think this is a chance for all of you to make this work,' was what she said in reply. 'Come on, I'll drive you.'

And so he had gone to see Quinn, who had collapsed into his arms while Rachel hung back awkwardly. Her parents had kicked her out and she had no place to go. To his surprise, Rachel brushed him aside and smoothed the blonde bangs away from Quinn's face.

'I have a spare bedroom which is more than adequate for your needs,' Rachel had pronounced with all the air of a drill sergeant. 'Puck, go get her things.'

So Quinn had started living with Rachel Berry. Finn still couldn't look him in the eye but at least the taller boy wasn't trying to knock him unconscious on sight. Puck thought that signaled progress. Rachel said it was all part of processing a traumatizing event and could he please run to Walmart and get a pint of Americone Dream for Quinn?

Another thing that Puck came to learn was that pregnant women craved shit all the time.

Puck's mother had taken the news with surprising grace. She had kissed his shaved scalp and pressed her hands to his face like she had done when he was younger.

'I'm glad I raised a good man Noah. But if this happens again, I'll castrate you myself.' Puck didn't doubt his mother's words.

A month passed after Quinn's revelation or Finn's epiphany. Puck was surprised to see that Rachel and Quinn hadn't killed each other yet. Sure, Quinn oftentimes looked like she wanted to strike Rachel down with lightning whenever the other girl fussed over her like a mother hen. But deep in the lines of her face, Puck could see she was grateful that someone was willing to take charge and guide her along. Rachel made sure that Quinn gave him regular updates on the baby, and even made sure that he was included in the sonograms and OB/GYN visits.

Finn still wasn't talking to him but now he would nod to Puck as if he were an acquaintance. Quinn and him were still together and while Puck had entertained the thought that once the truth was out there Quinn would find refuge in his arms, he had long ago considered that scenario a pipe dream.

'You're a good guy Puck. Not many guys would have wanted this,' Quinn had said, a hand curving around her protruding belly. 'But I don't love you and it wouldn't be fair to the baby if her parents went along their lives pretending to be something their not. I love Finn and he's going to be part of this too.'

He didn't know how it happened. One minute Rachel Berry was just another member of Glee. The next, she was everywhere. In his thoughts, in his dreams, in front of him. Sure she was still abrasive and domineering and used to getting her own way. But now it didn't make him want to set himself on fire.

Okay, it did, but in a totally different kind of way.

He didn't know what made him do it really. Maybe it was the stress of making sure there was enough money to pay for the additional cost of maternity clothes and doctor's visits, or maybe it was the fact that Rachel hadn't judged him about knocking up Finn's girlfriend after getting her drunk on wine coolers.

They had been in the Berry kitchen, Puck watching as Rachel flitted around to make a pickle and ice-cream sandwich for Quinn. The thought of those two things together made him feel nauseous.

'Hey Rach,' he said, using the nickname he had bestowed upon her. 'Did you maybe want to…I mean do you want to catch a movie or something later?'

Rachel had stood there with her mouth slightly agape, the mayo on the butter knife dripping onto the kitchen counter.

'Are you asking me out on a _date_?'

'I guess,' Puck had mumbled, pressing his back against the hard stone.

'But I thought you were in love with Quinn?'

'Are you still in love with Finn?'

'Alright. I'll be ready by seven.'

Their first date had been incredibly awkward. He had rung the bell to see Quinn standing at the door, a very obvious smirk on her face, as if she was privy to a secret that he wasn't. Then Rachel had floated down the stairs in a white dress and Puck had lost all comprehensible thought. He had let her pick a movie and was pleasantly surprised when she didn't pick some angst-filled, sappy romantic drama full of violins and sobbing women. He was even more surprised to find that he didn't really mind when she started spouting off about Broadway and musicals and extending her vocal range. It was kind of nice seeing her face light up, the dimples in her cheeks and the way she flourished her hands about as if she were conducting an orchestra.

Somewhere along the way Puck had started to like her.

The first time they kissed it had been after he had spoken to Finn. Quinn was now six months along and the Glee club had come together like some weird, dysfunctional family to make sure that she didn't overexert herself.

'Why are you guys doing this?' Puck had asked Kurt one day. Kurt had raised an eyebrow, as if the answer were obvious.

'We take care of our own Puckerman. Didn't you know that?'

So after school that day, he had gone over to the Hudsons and rapped on the door. Finn had opened it.

'Hey.'

'Hey, can I come in?'

'Yeah, alright. You want a beer?'

'No thanks.' Shuffle of feet, tense silence. 'I fucked up and I'm sorry. You can hate me all you want but this baby dude? It's mine and I'm not going to just pretend that she's yours so it'll make you feel better about this whole situation. I had to do that before and it sucked. So for Quinn and for my daughter, can I say I'm sorry and that I screwed up and that you hate my guts but you'll tolerate me in both their lives?'

There was a long beat of silence. 'I don't hate you man,' Finn had finally said, making Puck blink in sheer astonishment. 'I've tried to but I've known you since you were eight. Besides, Quinn told me that if she could forgive you, so could I. And I think…I think I can forgive you. It's going to take a bit more time but I think…I think I can.'

'Can I take that beer then?'

They had sat there and drank like fish, neither saying a word more until Puck left. He had gotten in his truck and parked in front of the Berry household before he knew it. Not bothering with the front door, he climbed up the trellis that led up to Rachel's room.

'Noah?' His name rolled off her tongue like a balm.

'Hey,' his voice cracked. Rachel didn't bother flicking on the lights, letting him lean his head against her shoulder and whisper sweet nothings in his ear. Down the hall Quinn leaned out her door, a sad smile on her face before she disappeared back into her room.

It was the first time he had cried in front of anyone, and Puck was glad it had been Rachel. She had smoothed the skin of his forehead down, pressing a kiss to it so feather light that he thought he had imagined it.

'You can kiss me if you want.'

Puck had leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. Between lips, teeth and tongue, he thought that for once, something in his life had gone right. He had never felt this way with any other girl before, with anyone else before.

They were inseparable after that. It scared him, the attachment and dependency that he was forming towards Rachel. But she didn't seem to mind so he brushed it off as paranoia. Instead, he reveled in her touch and the way she smiled and the fact that she didn't seem to mind whatever he had done in the past.

Most of all, he liked the way that Rachel made him feel like Noah.

Finn had taken the news of Rachel and him surprisingly well, considering.

'You hurt her and your daughter grows up with one of her Dad's sporting a permanent limp,' was all Finn had said.

'One of her Dad's?' Puck had repeated stupidly.

'Well yeah. I'm going to be her Dad too.'

The thought had festered in his head and he had picked it like a scab. Of course he had known that Finn would be raising the baby too. He had seen a bridal magazine on the coffee table the last time he had seen Quinn a day ago. But the thought made him feel angry and hurt and a thousand other things that he had taken out on Rachel.

'Do you feel better now?' Rachel had asked him, glassy eyes and wavering voice after he had yelled at her. Puck swallowed against the guilt coursing through him, shaking his head.

'I'll see you later,' she had said, walking away from him. The fact that she hadn't yelled, hadn't called him on his bullshit made it ten times worse.

'You're an idiot,' Quinn had said flatly when he had spilled everything out to her unbidden. 'You love Rachel.'

'No I don't,' Puck denied reflexively. He liked Rachel sure, but he wasn't in love with her. After all look what love had gone and done to him already, he thought, staring at Quinn's round belly. She was due any day now and they were all on edge. Rachel had colour coded the procedure and tasks that each of them would do when Quinn's water broke.

Puck thought it was cute and kind of amazing.

'Yes, you do,' Quinn stated as if she were telling him the sky was blue. 'Anyone with half an eye can see that. So quit being an asshole to everyone and go make it up to her.'

'Did you just swear?' Puck asked instead.

'It's the hormones. And Puck? Finn may be the Dad, but you're going to be her Father.'

Puck had gone and bought a bouquet of orchids that had burned a serious hole in his wallet and improvised Sweet Caroline on her front lawn, strumming his guitar and ignoring the lights that were coming on down the block.

Rachel had stepped out on the porch, wearing a white cotton shift, and gently pried the guitar out of his hands. He wanted to tell her he was sorry, that she was the one that he needed, that without her he couldn't have survived half the shit that had happened recently.

'I think I might really like you Rachel Berry. And I'm sorry,' was what he ended up saying instead. Love was a four letter word he couldn't pronounce at the moment but Rachel saw something reflected on his face that took the edge off hers.

'I know,' she told him, winding her arms around his neck and pressing her head down to his heart.

That was when Quinn's water had broken.

Sixteen hours later, here he was with the girl he quite possibly loved and a daughter he couldn't wait to.

'Have you decided when the baby naming is going to be?' Rachel asked.

'Maybe a few days after Quinn's discharged. I still need to talk to Rabbi David,' Puck replied absently. Quinn and him had compromised on the whole religion thing. They had used the time-tested get out of jail free card – they would let their daughter decide which faith suited her better. Puck himself wasn't particularly religious so he saw no fault with that logic.

'She's beautiful,' Rachel said in a low voice. 'She really is.' Now she sounded choked up. Puck looked down and wasn't surprised to see her shedding tears. His theory was that all the emotion Rachel showed made up for his deliberate attempts not to show any, at least in public.

'Is Finn with Quinn?' Puck and him had both been in the delivery room. Finn had fainted the minute his daughter had popped out.

Puck was glad he had decided to videotape the birth.

'Yes. You should go see her.'

'In a minute,' Puck promised, drinking in the sight of his daughter's wrinkled face.

He couldn't believe this was actually happening.

Walking with Rachel by his side towards Quinn's ward, Puck knew one thing for certain. Okay maybe two, he thought, looking down at Rachel and feeling the familiar warmth she provoked spread through him.

_There's no way in hell we're naming my baby girl Drizzle._


End file.
